title: Dendritic cells in semen of infertile men: association with sperm quality and inflammatory status of the epididymis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether dendritic cells (DCs) are present in semen and whether their abundance and activation correlate with sperm quality and inflammatory status of the male genital tract.
  
  
  METHODS
  In vitro prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University hospital laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty infertile men and twelve control fertile men were enrolled in this study.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  METHODS
  The percentages of DCs, intracellular staining of cytokines, and spermatozoa DNA fragmentation index were assessed by flow cytometry. Seminal cytokines, neutral α-glucosidase, zinc, and fructose were measured with commercial kits.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant number of CD11c(+) HLA-DR(+) DCs were detected in ejaculates from patients with chronic inflammation of genital tract, which was negatively correlated with spermatozoa motility, vitality, and DNA integrity. Intracellular staining of cytokines of seminal DCs showed enhanced ability to secrete inflammatory cytokines (interleukin [IL] 23p19, tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-related apoptosis-inducing ligand [TRAIL], and TNF-α). Furthermore, a significant correlation was found between DCs and the seminal concentrations of IL-6, IL-17, IL-23, TRAIL, and neutral α-glucosidase, the marker of epididymal function, in the inflammatory group but not in the noninflammatory and fertile groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The abundance and activation of seminal DCs of infertile men may be closely associated with poor epididymal function and sperm quality.
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Key Laboratory of Male Reproduction and Genetics, Shenzhen PKU-HKUST Medical Center, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China; Center of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yong-Gang
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.affiliation: Center of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qiongli
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Center of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yuchen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Center of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Lisha
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mou
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Key Laboratory of Male Reproduction and Genetics, Shenzhen PKU-HKUST Medical Center, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Key Laboratory of Male Reproduction and Genetics, Shenzhen PKU-HKUST Medical Center, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yaoting
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gui
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Key Laboratory of Male Reproduction and Genetics, Shenzhen PKU-HKUST Medical Center, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China; Center of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: caizhiming2000@163.com.
authors.forename: Zhiming
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004822:Epididymis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012661:Semen / Q000378:metabolism*; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000502:physiology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D018836:Inflammation Mediators
keywords: Dendritic cells; epididymis; inflammatory cytokines; male infertility; spermatozoa